What's the easiest way to connect an XP desktop to an ME laptop?

T Roosevelt

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Mon May-17-04 09:45 PM
Original message

What's the easiest way to connect an XP desktop to an ME laptop?

I know that Windows and DOS used to have the ability to link through a serial cable. Does XP have an equivalent? And is it serial, or perhaps USB?

Networking (through a hub) is not an available option.

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toddzilla

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Mon May-17-04 09:46 PM
Response to Original message

1. try xp help..

i know DOS had laplink.. but i don't know about xp.

you can get a crossover cable from the store and do it without a hub probably.

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DarkPhenyx

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Mon May-17-04 09:51 PM
Response to Original message

2. load XP on the other machine.

That is the easiest.

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indie

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Mon May-17-04 09:51 PM
Response to Original message

3. get a crossover cable

and install netbios on the xp machine (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;301041). this way you won't have to worry about dns or a hosts file.

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Rick Myers

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Mon May-17-04 09:55 PM
Response to Original message

4. Duct tape!

Sorry!!!

:toast:

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neoteric lefty

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Mon May-17-04 09:56 PM
Response to Original message

5. 1)take the ME laptop...

2)open up a nearby window
3)with great force, throw it out the window
4)smack self for still having the ME operating system on any computer you own

Just kidding... but really, if you can change OSes then get rid of windows ME and get WinXP or Win2k... much better at networking and everything else.

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T Roosevelt

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Tue May-18-04 06:38 AM
Response to Reply #5

16. I would but it's a thousand miles away

friend of my wife...

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indie

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Mon May-17-04 10:00 PM
Response to Original message

6. serial is doable.

go to support.microsoft.com and search on 'direct connect serial cable'. you'll get plenty of articles to help.

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demnan

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Mon May-17-04 10:02 PM
Response to Original message

7. Find their respective sexual organs

and spray with Dust Off.

Sorry, I'm just being silly here.

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Shananigans

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Mon May-17-04 10:04 PM
Response to Original message

8. plug it in.

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DBoon

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Mon May-17-04 10:17 PM
Response to Original message

9. I assume neither one has a network card

Else I'd suggest windows file sharing.

A PCMCIA card for the laptop shouldn't cost much, and PCI network cards for desktops are dirty cheap. Once the cards are installed, use the orange crossover Ethernet cable to connect them.

It's a bit of trouble, but will open up a new world of connectivity.

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Prisoner_Number_Six

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Mon May-17-04 10:18 PM
Response to Original message

10. The easiest, cheapest, most direct way is

a crossover cable. NOT to be confused with a "patch" cable-- the crossover is usually colored orange. Plug it into the respective LAN ports and share whichever directories you want to be mutually accessible.

The serial port or modem equivalent is called the "null modem cable".

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Mobius

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Mon May-17-04 10:20 PM
Response to Original message

11. twine and spit

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MikeDuffy

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Mon May-17-04 10:34 PM
Response to Original message

12. Flash memory drive?

To transfer files try using a USB flash memory drive, which acts like a removable hard drive. A 128MB drive (I like SanDisk) is widely available for ~$35.

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T Roosevelt

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Tue May-18-04 06:40 AM
Response to Reply #12

17. Great idea!

If the laptop has a USB port (it's not THAT old) - it's a thousand miles away - friend of my wife...

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MichaelHarris

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Tue May-18-04 12:41 AM
Response to Original message

13. No offense

but I would blow off all of those suggestions and get a cheap-ass hub, like a 29 dollar job. Network card for both, desktop card is cheaper than the laptop card. Install TCP/IP, and file and print sharing. If network neighborhood is already on the desktop then your half way there. If you get this far let me know and I'll walk you through the IP addresses and pinging and stuff like that. The direct cable connect with a crossover cable between XP and ME is buggy as hell. Not worth the headache. Go with a hub unless you have a few more dollars then you can get a cheap router. In any event just let me know.

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T Roosevelt

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Tue May-18-04 06:41 AM
Response to Reply #13

18. I'd do it this way, but...

it's a friend of my wife...not computer savvy...a thousand miles away...

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MichaelHarris

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Tue May-18-04 10:54 AM
Response to Reply #18

20. here is

a link for direct cable conection, very easy to follow:
http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/dccmain.htm
http://www.makeitsimple.com/how-to/simple.htm

This is for a hub setup:
http://www.homenethelp.com/home-network.asp

In the long run you'll be much happier with a hub or router

This is about a gabazillion very good articles on networking:
http://www.wown.com/articles_tutorials/netgeneral/

Let me know

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sir_captain

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Tue May-18-04 01:00 AM
Response to Original message

14. cross-over cable

will cost you $5 on the internet and you can network directly without any hub or anything. It looks like a normal ethernet cable but the internal wiring's a bit different.

XP can network with a USB cable as well, but that'll probably cost you more than the crossover.

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Robert Oak

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Tue May-18-04 02:17 AM
Response to Reply #14

15. pin out on web, yes wires switched from plain vanilla ethernet

both have peer to peer...no reason you can't use a cross over cable
and then use peer to peer...(install TCP/IP and file/printer sharing
and give the cards an IP address each)

http://www.johnscloset.net/wiring/crossover.html

no bugs here, but my main network is a router, so long time ago, but no problems.

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classics

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Tue May-18-04 07:35 AM
Response to Original message

19. Buy a $29 USB 'transfer' cable.

Its essentially the same as the old serial-serial hookup, but via USB.

You cant just use a regular USB cable though, you need one thats actually designed to network 2 computers via the usb ports.

http://www.usbgear.com/item_102.html

Note I just found that on google.. have not ordered from that place before.

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